IPMBA Product Review

The Chicago Police Department and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) have created a one-minute YouTube video to create interest in the use of noseless (no-nose) bike seats among bike patrol officers. This brief video quickly dispels some purported problems of noseless seats. The officers are able to ride in traffic, conduct police work, and have complete bicycle control to the extent that they can ride “no-handed,” all while using a noseless bike seat.

After a decade of research studying the reproductive health effects of the bicycle seat on bicycle police officers, NIOSH has shown that the noseless (no-nose) bicycle seat is a good intervention to relieve harmful pressure in the genital area and, at least in part, restore sexual function. While the science is strong and has been published in highly respected medical journals, recommendations have been made, and the seats have been integrated into major police departments like Chicago, the shift of large numbers of public safety cyclists to this “healthier design” has been slow. In an attempt to raise awareness of this important intervention, NIOSH created a video showing how the Chicago Bicycle Patrol officers have integrated the noseless seat into their standard safety equipment.

Dr. Steve Schrader leads the Reproductive Health Assessment Team for NIOSH and has been conducting occupational studies on reproductive health since 1983. He was the project officer for the NIOSH bicycle research studies.

Sgt. Joe Andruzzi has been the commanding officer of the Chicago Police Department’s Bicycle Patrol Unit since March 1999. He oversees a fleet of more than 450 bicycles and trains 100-200 officers yearly for bike patrol. He also is an avid user and advocate of the noseless bike seat.

About IPMBA

The International Police Mountain Bike Association (IPMBA) is a non-profit educational organization providing resources, networking opportunities, and the best, most complete training for public safety bicyclists.